New Year
by Miss Higher Power
Summary: Danny and Lindsay attend the NYPD New Year's Eve party. Written for an LJ Challenge, mid-season 2 or 3.


The annual NYPD New Year's Eve party was a casual affair. The party wasn't mandatory, unlike its counterpart, the NYPD Christmas party and spouses and partners were more than welcome to attend. A venue, usually a little known bar, was chosen for the evening. It was a different bar every year, and this year the planning committee had chosen a country bar.

Mac Taylor arrived to find the party getting underway. There were several people milling around the main area of the bar and a few people had taken up residence on the dance floor, but his attention was drawn to the end of the bar. Mac made his way to the end of the bar, where Flack and Danny had ordered their drinks.

"This isn't a sight I often see. The two of you, away from the throng of adoring females." Mac chuckled as he turned to the bartender and ordered himself a beer.

"In case you haven't noticed, most of the 'adoring females' are sitting over in the corner by that cactus." Danny muttered before taking a swig of his beer.

"They've been over there since we got here. Every once in a while one of them will cast a glance in Danny's direction then turn back to the group. All of this is followed by a loud, cackling laughter." Flack happily told Mac.

"Ah, the female party pow-wow." Mac informed them as the bartender brought him his beer.

"The female party pow-wow?" Flack raised an eyebrow.

"During a party, the women group themselves together and spend the evening talking about the males of the group. Unfortunately, neither of you are married to any of them, which means that you're prey." This piece of information left both Danny and Flack on the brink of speechlessness.

"And how exactly do you know about it?" Danny asked.

"Claire. She and Stella were generally the ringleaders. Given that Stella's in that group over there, I'd say there's going to be trouble." Mac picked up his beer and headed over to the pool table where Hawkes and Hammerback were currently involved in a game.

* * *

"So you're telling me that you've never thought about it." Stella asked the woman to her left.

"I'm not blind. He's very attractive; he's just not my type. He's too…tall." The woman replied.

"Wade, did you just say he's too tall?" Stella stared at Wade with an unbelieving look on her face.

"What? He's 6'2", I'm 5'1". Every time I have to ask him about his expense report I get a crick in my neck. Plus I feel like a little kid, 'Excuse me, Detective Flack? I'm down here.'" Wade protested.

"Well, Lindsay certainly doesn't have a height problem with Danny." Stella stated.

"If I hadn't had two margaritas, I would resent that." Lindsay giggled.

"Kiddo, you've had way more than two margaritas. We've all had way more than two margaritas." Stella said as the whole table dissolved into laughter.

"I have not. I'm just feeling pleasantly fuzzy." Lindsay stated, now completely serious.

"Face it, sweetie, you're drunk. You couldn't say DNA, if your life depended on it." The whole table dissolved into another round of laughter, because what Stella had said sounded more like dee nen ay.

"I can do one better. Deoxyribonucleic Acid. No stutter anywhere." Lindsay said proudly before turning back to her drink.

"I may be drunk, but you're a showoff." Stella whined. "Back to Danny."

"Stella, there's nothing going on between us." It was Lindsay's turn to whine.

"Really. So that wasn't you checking Danny out when he came into the bar?" she questioned.

"Even I can't deny that he's hot. I've never seen a cowboy look that good in jeans. It was a natural response to an attractive man." Lindsay said, quickly averting her eyes from Stella, as her face became increasingly red.

"Well, if you don't have anything going with Danny, then you should be fine to go and talk to him." Stella pushed.

"Fine. I'll go talk to Danny." Lindsay finished her drink, pushed back her chair, and turned towards the bar.

* * *

"Hey Flack. Danny." Lindsay greeted them as she approached the bar.

"Hey there, Lindsay. You girls seem really chatty tonight." Flack grinned at her.

"Oh, yeah. Girl talk." She informed as she ordered a coke from the bartender.

"You back on the wagon?" Flack asked.

"Yup. I've had enough. If I have any more, I may do something wildly inappropriate." A moment of awkward silence followed, before Flack spoke up.

"I think I see…Maka. I'll see ya later." Flack beat a hasty retreat.

"So, Montana. How was your Christmas?" Danny asked her once she had her pop in hand.

"Same as most family gatherings. A pick on Lindsay event. How was yours?" She asked, trying to move the discussion away from herself and her slip of information.

"It was good. Whaddya mean 'a pick on Lindsay event'?" His brow was furrowed in concern.

"It's silly." Lindsay said. "I love this song. Although I prefer The Who version."

"Summertime Blues is a great song, why it's being played on New Year's Eve is another issue. Stop trying to avoid the question." Danny had scooted along the bar, closer to Lindsay.

"It's nothing really. My family doesn't exactly understand my reasons for coming to New York." Lindsay told him.

"Why did you come to New York?" He asked her.

"I came for a new experience. I never wanted to spend my whole life in Bozeman. My boyfriend, Jonathan, proposed a few years ago, and I wasn't ready to settle down. It would have been settling. I took the job in New York as soon as it came along. My family thought I was looking for a different type of man. They thought I'd come back and say I'd met an investment banker or an accountant." Lindsay told him, embarrassed to be sharing this with her partner.

"They want you ta be happy. Nothing wrong with that." Danny nudged her with his elbow. "We all want you to be happy."

"I know. It's just that when my five year old nephew asks me when I'm going to admit 'feet' and come home, I think they've been talking about it too mu-uch." Lindsay's last word was fragmented when Stella bumped into her causing Lindsay to tip her drink all over Danny's arm.

"Oh, was that my fault? I'm sorry!" Stella giggled as Danny shrugged off his jacket. Stella turned away but stopped long enough to whisper in Lindsay's ear. "Thought I'd get the ball rolling. It's getting close to midnight, you have to have someone to kiss."

"Stella!" Lindsay hissed, her face reddening. Turning back, she said "Danny, I'm sorry."

"No big deal. It's leather. Washes right off. What was that all about?" Danny asked as he finished wiping off his jacket and tossed it on the stool next to him.

"It would appear that Stella thinks we should kiss at midnight." Lindsay said before turning to order another coke.

"And what do you think?" Danny asked while gazing at her intently.

"I'm sure you have someone already lined up." She took her coke from the bartender and turned toward the dance floor.

"Nobody lined up." He said.

"Well, there are several girls who would be interested." She said, still staring at the dance floor.

"And I'm interested in you."

"I could be persuaded." Lindsay said calmly.

"Oh, yeah? What would it take?" She could tell he was smirking, even though she wasn't actually looking at him.

"A twirl around the dance floor, cowboy." She uttered, turning to Danny and returning his smirk.

"That can be arranged." Danny told her as he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.

Two dances later they were back at the bar.

"So?" Danny asked her, a hopeful grin on his face.

"Consider me in line." Her own face broke into a matching grin.

"So, then it's okay to do this?" He asked as he lowered his lips to hers.

"I think we should get in some more practice before midnight." She responded when they broke apart for air.

"I like the way you think."


End file.
